A too busy woman in her 40's who is juggling family and careers and faith and community and wishes she had more time to write - this is me attempting to make my wish come true!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

The Personal is Universal

The words in the title of this post where spoken by poet and friend Carl Leggo and it resonates so deeply in my heart .

My weekend was just like that.

1. Our good friends the Hofs moved apartments.......just down the hall in the same building. While (st) this move was unique in many ways - it was in many ways - just like all moves....... busy, hard work, exciting, full of promise of new beginnings, friends working together, laughter.......

2. My kids cleaned their rooms......because Mom said so! I might often be tempted to turn a blind eye and pick my battles but eventually I am affronted by all the good things my kids have been given (often through the fruits of Allan and my hard work) and take such poor care of. And then I do the Mom freak out thing and set a deadline and tonight our house is clean.......they cleaned their rooms and I cleaned the whole downstairs. I am sure this story is universal in some form or other.

3. Allan and I had our quality time in the grocery store this week. Like many working/studying parents of busy kids we take our moments when we get them....this week it was at Save-On Foods and the drive there and back.

4. We sat passively and watched the unreality that is the Oscars......mindless escapism, sitting on the couch....eating appetizers. Nothing special and yet nothing unique.

5. I used past-their-best veggies and made hearty and healthy vegetable stock.....isn't that amazing? I love using the way-too-much-celery we bought because we are too busy to coordinate our shopping trips and making them into something that will nourish my family and friends.

6. Talking about the weather. It was a crazy weather weekend here - like off the charts...with huge winds, sun, rain, hail, snow..... It is a universal thing to talk about the weather, it is the universal conversation starter/filler.

So that's how I choose to see my very ordinary/mundane weekend........as connected to many other weekends just like it for many families around the world and through the years.